Iran’s nuclear chief has on Sunday said, Iran is about to take preliminary steps in accordance to design uranium fuel with a purity of about 20 percent for the reactors instead of taking copied foreign designs.

State broadcaster IRIB quoted the head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi as saying, “We have made such progress in nuclear science and industry that, instead of reverse-engineering and the use of designs by others, we can design new fuel ourselves,” according to news reported by Reuters.

However, Iran is allowed to produce nuclear fuel under several strict conditions, needed to get approved by a working group organized by the signatories to the deal. Conditions included ensuring the fuel to not be converted to uranium hexafluoride.

Salehi said, “Initial measures have been started for the design of modern 20 percent fuel and we’re on the verge of (achieving) it. This product is different from the previous 20 percent fuel, and we can supply fuel to any reactor that is built like the Tehran reactor.”

He added, “The Tehran reactor has so far been working with old fuel, but modern fuel can improve efficiency.”

Iranian officials have repeatedly condemned delays setting up new European Union payments mechanism for the Iranian oil exports, hit by the United States sanctions. But however, Tehran stopped such moves that could disturb the accord.

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